Hoof-expander



(No Model.)

B. ARNOLD.

HOOP EXPANDER.

No. 422,488. Patented Mar. 4, 1890.

1 Q1} m t I] Witnesses. Ewen/[01".

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMETT ARNOLD, OF BURNT HILLS, NEW YORK.

HOOF-EXPAN DER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,488, dated March 4,1890.

Application filed April 24, 1889. Serial No. 308,471- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMETT ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Burnt Hills, town of Ballston, in the county of Saratoga andState of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHoof-Expanders, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hoof-expanders; and the objectsof my invention are to provide a hoof-expander that may be easily andreadily adjusted in such a manner as to occasion a greater or lessexpansion, as desired, and also to provide a means for expanding oneside or quarter of the hoof to a greater extent than the other. Iaccomplish these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents the under side of ahorses hoof with one part of my expander placed thereon. Fig. 2 is adetail viewof the end of the spring 17.

Similar letters refer to similarparts throughout both views.

The spring I) is usually made of steel or wire, and is provided at eachend with two sharp-pointed proj cations or prongs c c, which are securedto the wall at the heel of the hoof. The spring 1) extends from theheel, where it is secured, toward the toe of the hoof and at a point sonear the toe that the shoe will overlap it, and then returns to the heelon the side of the frog opposite that from which it started, and isthere secured to the wall by the projections c c. As thus placed, theshoe will come into contact with and will serve to retain in positionthe spring atboth toe and heel. The resiliency of the spring will tendto spread the hoof, exerting a constant even pressure on each sideequally.

, In order to intensify the pressure exerted by the spring I), I attachthe adjustable spring d thereto. The spring cl has each end turned overin such a manner as to inclose the side of the spring I), as shown at e,and is easily movable on said spring. The spring d extends'outwardlyfrom the spring I) on each side and is held in position by passing underthe spring I). It may be placed over the spring 1), providing it is madeto extend under the shoe to hold it in position. The spring (1 tends toforce apart the ends of the spring 1), and this in turn produces a likeeffect on the sides of the hoof.

In order that the spring (1 maybe adjusted, it is necessary-to make thesides of the spring 1) near the toe parallel, as shown in Fig. 1, andwhen it is desired to use less force than that exert-ed when theadjustable spring at is in the position denoted by full lines in Fig. 1it may be placed nearer the toe, as shown by dotted lines in thatfigure.

My invention is very simple, easily adj usted, fits snugly close to thehoof, is not heavy or cumbersome, and does its work positively andsatisfactorily.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

In a hoof-expander, the combination of a spring I), provided with prongsc c on each end, in contact with the walls of the hoof and extendingtoward and bent near the toe of the hoof, with an adjustable spring (1,attached to each side of the spring b near the toe, all substantially asdescribed.

EMHETT ARNOLD.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK W. CAMERON, W LTER E. WARD.

